The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-03-24
THE pRIrrwoop RACE.

Get river divides bne arm crceps ofc
ia winding bed "A II .losib to leave th
island 1t enriches; the other rustes do~i
rocky channel. and shortly gains ,b
hay. The former branch. in Clearhsr
Dor paflance. Is the Thoroughfare, ,h'
latter. the NArrows. One day in Msrcl
both Nsrows and Thorougbiare were fol
Of cakes OF Zoe. pushing and crowdins and
piling one over The other. The ice, which
during the winter months closed the rivel
to navigation for eighteen miles above
was going out earlier than usual. Gener-
ally, as the days grew warmer, thin sheets
floated BY unno,iced, but when the swell
ing waters broke their still bonds asunder
the sight Was grand. The bridge across
the Thoroughiare was thronged with spec
tstors leaning over the rail and watching
the blocks of ice crunch and grind
against the wooden piers More timia ones
looked on from the river.bsnk. remember
ing that the last lime the embargo had
gone ont so suddenly the bridge bad been
: carried away.
l 'It's aiwers best to be cautious. sollo-
9 quized Deacon Hastings nodding approx
ingly from the back window OF bis grocery
toward the knot uf observers stationed
below. Thence the deacon's eyes wan
dered along the strip OF beach ut the foot
OF the embankment, where the poor OF the
town were gathering driftwood which the
waters had stranded. Evidently the OBJ
lect OF his search was not there, for with
q shake OF the head he returned 10 the !
circle OF village wiseacres congregated
around bis small, rusty stove. II time
had not dimmed the keenness OF the dea-
cons eye glance across the half mile OF |
water would have shown him his SOD. Rsst.
on the point OF land which juttcd out from
the island at the division OF the river. As
the sun took q peep from under the gray
clouds before slipping behind the hills, it
painted the floating ice with ruby and
emerald tints aud for moment the boys
collected around the heaps Of drift wood
on the shore seemed clad 10 glittering
armour, aud 10 the place OF the wooden
pick poles bore gold tipped spears.
81 abide by the decision OF the crowd,
OF course, Rast Hasting said, curtly. IF |
l am beaten that's the end OF 1t. Il
"Waal, Hasty," drawled Simon Gott,
thrusting his hands deep into his trousers
pockets, I'm ALFRED sorry to go agin {
yer, but seems to me Cha has hauled in '
little the biggest pile"
"But Rest gave Granny big" b
Hold your tongue, Ragbagl That was '
my concern, wasn't it9' interrupted Rsst, 8
not unkiudly. And Ragbag thus repulsed b
climbed back TO his lookout on slippery }
rock to watch until the eddy brought some y
treasure near the shore.
"We can't exactly decide, declared Ned q
Crocker with an air OF impsrtiality v
Heres Chal's wood 10 single pile, while b
yours. Rast, is all over the lot II the v
next ten minutes don't make more differ o
ence, let's call it even. Eh. fellowsp' Il
"Thats fair enough assented viii b
"Agreed. Cbal?" asked Rsst d
Challis Gray nodded He stood a little Il
apart from the rest, waiting with seeming o
indifference for their decision a quiet 81
looking lad, and inch or two below the al
height Of square shouldered Rast. al "
though his slight figure gave him the
appearance Of being the taller Of the two. te
about bis waist by long rope h'
was stick set with an iron brad, which he p'
used with considerable skill In harpooning 81
pieces Of wood as they foated by. cl
While classed as one OF 'the ooys,' 81
Chalis did not assimilate with the rest. CT
who generally put him into the third per bt
son and occasionally left him out Of their ne
good times altogether; Chsllis felt al ut
This keenly, aud became more grave and ra
taciturn as the desire for popularity among ca
his mates increased -longed for so ardent he
y. it may be. because il appeared out Of VI
his reach. Rast. on the other hand, was Al
! general favorite OF Clearharbor. ev
"Ob, Rast, Rastw cried Ragbag. falling d.
rom his perch In his excitement. there's re
/ log as big as q tree coming down river ra
Dh, Rast, you get i'll Won't yon, Rast2 ru
"rhe one NV yer that gets that spile RI
beats, said Sine. winter sport wharf
must a broke down, aud we'd best get 60
over tother side fore the next jam carries 70
away the bridge The current will take ca
.he log out too far for your pick, Rast WI
You'd better let Chal bsrpoon it. Twill We
be pity 10 lose 1t entirely, you know" hi
''Its Rasts. saw It first. and I'm go M
ng to give it to Rsst," clamored little he
Raebag. jealonsly. III
"Moren one way 70 kill cat. Sine fa
looking on with half shut eyes. sh
Rast, who had selected q thick ice cake ov
iosiing near the shore, now sprang upon no
/. and was making ready to push ont, er
when Cballis waded out 10 his side hl
"Don's try that, Rast Well say the nr
.ace is yours without suy more bother / N
iont think you're yourself, Hastings, wi
,r yon wouldn't attempt such rash piece frt
N business. he added in lower tone vi
.NonsenseF' Rast retorted aDgfily II It
'ou refuse TO own your beaten Till my pile co
8 double yours, am equal to II; and I'm oh
lot such baby that little water makes on
ne afraid int
'Fooiisbness is far from being courage. ey
.eplied Chai With highest color. dl
Comes nesrer 10 il than cowsrdice. : AZ
ueered Rast II fail 10 bring the big log br
pack. your welcome to IT, be called ou, BIZ
,vsf bis shoulder as be started shead. str
"Hsstys got grit, the boys commented ai
IS they watched bin work bis way out va